Process of oxidizing paraffinic hydrocarbons



I Oct. 12, 1937. E; KE NE KE 2,095,473'

PROCESS'OF OXIDIZING PAHAB FINIC HYDROCARBCNS Fled Dec. 4, 1934 Initial Qydfocarbpn I 1 9 l yolaiile Products.

INVENTQR ATTORNEY Emil Kane awfiwg Patented Oct. 12, 1937 I g 2 095 473.]

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .rnocnss or oxmrzmc ranmmc nrpaocmons Emil Keuneeke, Oppau, Germany, assig'nor to I.

G. Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschaft, Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany Application December 4, 1934, Serial Nor, 756,004 In Germany December 5, 1933 7 Claims. (Cl. 260-416) The present invention relates to a process of 40 the plate C serves for introducing the oxioxidizing paraflinic hydrocarbons. dizing gas. Instead of the .said porous plate Ihave-found'that valuable oxidation products other porous bodies such as filtering candles or consisting substantially of high molecular fatty filter cones may be employed. D is a pipe through acids and being free or practically free from matwhich the non-consumed portions of the oxidizing ter insoluble in petroleum ether can be obtained gas and eventually volatile oxidation products in a form most suitable for industrial purposes leave the apparatus. The gaseous or vaporous by subjecting high molecular paraflinic hydrocarparts after having passed through D may be led bons (such as soft or hard paraflin wax or high into a stripping or condensing device in order to l0 boiling fractions of mineral oils) to oxidation by separate and recover the vaporous or misty prod- 10 means of gases comprising oxygen at comparaucts therefrom. (This device is not shown)" tively low. temperatures, preferably not surpass- Part of the material under treatment circulates ing 125 C., in the presence of catalysts compristhrough the syphon E whereby regulation of the ing chemically combined manganese and alkali temperature may be efiected by cooling or warmmetals while introducing the gases comprising ing the material flowing through E. (The cooling 5 oxygen in a fine division.v The fine division of l or heating device is not shown.) In'consequence the oxidizing gas may be attained by introducing of the fine division of the oxidizing gas and the the same through porous ceramic materials such low temperature the reaction is attended by p as filtering candles, porous plates or through nozstrong foaming. The foam frothing over from zles or the like. The oxidation may preferably be the upper part of the cylinder A flows into the 2 efiected with advantage at as low-a temperature ring-shaped space G where it is converted into as from 90 to 120 C. and at still lower temperaliquid. F is a pipe for returning this liquid to ture. Even at these low temperatures the oxida- E and A. A is provided with a heating jacket H. tion begins rapidly and is finished in a rela- The following example will further illustrate tively short period of time for example in from the nature of this invention but'the invention is 25 V 85- metals or it may consist of one or several com- 6 to 24 hours if air is employed as oxidizing gas. not restricted to this example. The parts are At about 75 C. most excellent products can be by weight. obtained but at this temperature the reaction I does not go on so rapidly. If solid initial materials are employed the oxidation is carried out pa-rts of yeuowiS-hbmwncmde pam'mn 30 ax having a melting point of 50 C. are heated above their melting point for 2 hours at 150 C together with 0 18 part of The catalyst may either consist of a mixture of finel powdered potassium permanganate;

one or several compounds containing manganese 0 05 y t f t h hi1 t with one or several compounds containing alkali par 0 F 10 Do as w e s mmg m i 1 IV. The mass is allowed to cool down to about 100 C. and introduced into the apparatus described above where the material is oxidized for 8 hours by means'of-air at from 110 to 115 C. The reaction product has a lemon-yellow colora- Ercample l pounds containing manganese as well as an alkali metal. Suitable catalysts are for example potasslum manganate'or mixtures of potassium manganate and sodium carbonate.

40 It'is preferable to employ'the catalyst dissolved possesses an acid number of 95 and a 40 saponification number of 152. Byup ess according to the present invention consists in unsimmfiame matter aftersappmflcation and the fact that high molecular fatty acids are ob-. ,settmg.free the acids) faftty acld of light color tamed in good yields'and a very pure form v is obtained which has the saponification number 5 In the following the process is described in ded which contains only Per cent of tan with reference to the accompanying drawing stituents insoluble in petroleum ether. By a diswhich is a longitudinal section of an apparatus tillation in vacuo an acid of pure white coloration suitable for carrying out the oxidation. A is a is obtained which may be employed forexample cylindrical reaction vessel. B is a hopper through r he production f p 50 which'the material to be oxidized (in which the What I claim is:- r

catalyst is preferably dispersed) can be intro- 1. The process of producing fatty acids which duce'd into A. C is a porous plate-of a ceramic comprises subjecting a material essentially commaterial, frittejd glass or sintered metal the pores prising high molecular parafllnic hydrocarbon 65 of which plate have a diameter of for example material to oxidation by means of a gas comprls- C. in the presence of a catalyst comprising a compound of manganese and an alkali metal which compound contains manganese in the anion thereof, while introducing the gas comprising oxygen in. a fine division.

2. The process of producing fatty acids which comprises subjecting a material essentially comprising high molecular parafilnic hydrocarbon material to oxidation by means of a gas comprising oxygen at a temperature between about and about C. in the presence of a catalyst comprising a compound of manganese and an alkali metal which compound contains manganese in the anion thereof, while introducing the gas comprising oxygen in a fine division.

3. The process of producing fatty acids which comprises subjecting a material essentially comprising high molecular parafiinic hydrocarbon material to oxidation by means of a gas comprising oxygen at a temperature between about 90 and about C. in the presence of a catalyst comprising a compound of manganese and an alkali metal which compound contains manganese in the anion thereof, while introducing the gas comprising oxygen in a fine division.

4. The process of producing fatty acids which comprises subjecting a material essentially comprising high molecular paraflinic hydrocarbon material to oxidation by means of a gas comprising oxygen at a temperature between about ing oxygen at a temperature not surpassing 120 90 and 120 C. in the presence of an alkali metal permanganate, while introducing the gas comprising oxygen in a fine division.

5. The process of producing fatty acids which comprises subjecting a material essentially comprising high molecular paraifinic hydrocarbon material to oxidation by means of a gas comprising oxygen at a temperature not surpassing 120 C. in the presence of a catalyst comprising an alkali metal manganese compound, selected from the class consisting of manganites, manganates and permanganates, while introducing the gas comprising oxygen in a fine division.

6. The process of producing fatty acids which comprises subjecting a material essentially comprising high moiecular paraiiinic hydrocarbon material to oxidation by means of a gas compris-' ing oxygen at a temperature not surpassing 120' C. in the presence of potassium permanganate, while introducing a gas comprising oxygen in a fine division. I I

7. The process ofproducing fatty acids which comprises treating a material essentially comprising high molecular parafllnic hydrocarbon material in the presence of a catalyst comprising a" compound containing manganese in the anion thereof at a temperature above 120 C., then cooling down the mixture to a temperature below 120 0., and introducing a gas comprising oxygen in fine division. v 1 

